Tiny Charges from a Powder Measure

[Green Frog]

As the title says, I need to drop very small charges (primarily of Bullseye) for my 32 S&WL WC and SWC rounds. I need to efficiently and consistently drop 2.0 gr within less than half a tenth. Does anyone have a suggestion for a measure (fixed or adjustable) that works well with that small a charge of BE? I have an Ideal #1, both varieties of the Ideal #5,
a couple of varieties of Lyman #55, Lyman Accumeasure, RCBS Li'l Dandy, B&M Visible Loader and probably a couple more I'm forgetting... I just can't figure out which style of loader to work with for these tiny charges. Any and all assistance and experienced comment will be appreciated.

TIA, Froggie

[BillP]

I don't know how Bullseye relates in volume to AA #2 but...I throw consistant 2.3 to 2.5 loads of AA2 for 32 S&W long in my Uniflo with the small cylinder.

bc

[John Boy]

I need to efficiently and consistently drop 2.0 gr within less than half a tenth. There is no powder charger, old or new, that will consistently drop a powder charge accurate to 0.05 (half a tenth).

Your best option is to buy a digital scale that measures to 0.xx ... and they are not cheap

[GRUMPA]

I don't own alot of different powder throwers, at the time I was loading 25ACP I had 2 and neither one did worth a darn on that small of a weight. I ended up using my scale for each and every one which turned into a PITA but I did it.

Only thing I can say is try your luck at trimming something like a 22 rim fire spent cartridge till you get the desired weight and super-glue a paperclip to it and use it as a dipper.

[gnoahhh]

I use an old Pacific with a small rotary drum, and my own home made one that was built on the same principle. I have also used a B&M with complete success- all in reloading .32's with Bullseye. A buddy swears by his Little Dandy. Like John Boy said, .05gr. accuracy is a pipe dream.

[Coffeecup]

I'm with Gnoahhh; the only measure I've had much luck with for such small charges (ca. 2.0 g Bullseye) is one of the old Pacific or Bear (or Bair) rotary drum measures. I've got a couple in case I ever need to do it again--but I try to avoid "needing to do it." I nearly drove myself blind loading 25 autos, and swore never again (unless I get a really good deal on something neat of course :wink:).

The 38 Special uses the smallest charges of any cartridge I load for these days.

[swamp]

+1 on using a cut down 22 case. That is what I ended up doing for loading the 32 S&W. Weighed the charge to see where it was in the case and started filing. It is pretty consistant, but not to .05gr.

[Huntducks]

I have pr of Redding both will throw 2.7grs of BE.

I also have a little dandy and a Dremel and you can make it drop what ever you like, been there done that

[mac60]

The little dandy and a 00 or 0 rotor would probably be your best bet. You're gonna be disappointed if you're expecting that level of accuracy though. Good luck.

[Wayne Smith]

I have one of the Bair rotor measures and there are/were a couple on eBay lately. The rotors can be made, they are brass. I have a bunch for the .38/357, need to find some for the .45ACP and for the same thing you are doing, Froggie. I have an old H&R in .32 Short, just bought a set of dies to use with it. It was my grandmother's gun. Maybe has one box of bullets through it.

[Wayne Smith]

I just checked, there is a Bair rotor measure that will be ending in 21 hours and is now at the princely sum of $4.24 or something like that. I think the rotors are made out of 1/2" brass stock. Not hard for any machinist. You can determine your own size cavity.

[Freischütz]

I've never seen any manufacturer claim the accuracy you're seeking. My Lyman 55 is within .1gr with the right powder (ball powder and fine grained extruded, not something with properties like Unique).

But even though its very consistent, it occasionally produces an underweight charge. I visually check every case. Even then it's easy to overlook an underweight charge in small cases (32 ACP).

You may be happier weighing each charge.

Why do you want that degree of accuracy?

[rda72927]

I have used my Lyman #55 to drop 2.8gn H Clays on my Projecter. Worked great..

[Green Frog]

Well, maybe I should have been more thorough with the stating of my question. First, a bit of background. I have been accumulating various measures for over 30 years now, generally by opportunity or because I had a specific application in mind. I also do some machining and have access to a well equipped machine shop at the school where I teach, so can modify or make parts within reason. So much for availability.

I am going to be bulk loading 32 S&W Longs with 95 grain WCs and SWCs using cat sneeze loads of Bullseye (on the order of 1.8-2.2 grains.) I need to stay as consistent as possible as even a tenth of a grain variance is about a 5% increase or decrease. BUT, due to the fact that I want to load a bunch of them, I need to develop some sort of efficient means of metering the powder. I know it was done in the past when people were shooting bullseye matches with this caliber, so I don't want to reinvent the wheel if I don't have to.

I'm flying blind here on the drop chamber, so this is the crux of my question. Do I need a broad, shallow chamber or a deep and narrow one? Or should it be about square (roughly equal in depth and breadth?) If I need to make a special rotor, will this be an important factor in designing it? Again, any first hand knowledge of this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,
Froggie

[bearcove]

I use measure then trickled for accurate measuring. Have done 1000's with just measure.

[Coffeecup]

Per a friend who uses a Pacific rotary measure to load light wadcutters in the 38 S&W (not Special), he first tried a smaller diameter hole but had problems with powder seemingly "bridging" the hole. Then he copied the diameter of the original hole (probably for 2.3 grains of B'eye), but to a reduced depth. He said this has worked OK for charges of about 2.0 grains of B'eye.

Looking at one I have on hand, it looks like the hole was drilled in the cylinder with a standard drill bit, leaving a hole with an angled bottom. I can dig one out for the lightest charge Bair made and get back to you with dimensions if it will help.

[jimkim]

My Lee PPM is the only one I own that will drop small charges(1.4gr) of BE with any consistency. Your mileage may vary.

I tried it with my Uniflow, LNL, and Autodisc before tying the PPM. If it didn't work I was going to order a Little Dandy.

[Dale53]

Green Frog;
I have had excellent results using the Lee Pro Auto Disk Measure with the micro disk. The Micro Disk measures from 1.1 Bullseye to 2.5 Bullseye. It is doubtful if you'll obtain the accuracy you have stated but it will reliably drop those small charges within a tenth of a grain.

It is more important to have a consistent charge than a 1/10th grain specific charge.

Dale53

[Wayne Smith]

Froggie, you want a wide, shallow hole. I have done this. You can use epoxy glue or hot glue and then re-drill in that if you don't get what you want the first time. (I never have!) As you think this through realize your hole has to be at least as deep as a grain of BE. I would want a minimum of about three grains deep, I think. Be more comfortable with six. This controls the width of your hole.

[FergusonTO35]

My Lee Pro Auto Disk will consistently drop tiny charges with the micro disk. However, you are limited to the cavity sizes it comes with unless you want to modify them. Another thing to be careful of: sometimes flake powders do not fill the cavity completely. It seems that some lots of powder are more "sticky" than others, humidity and temperature can influence this. I advise to keep the disk as clean as possible, washing it in warm soapy water helps. Its also a good idea to weigh every tenth charge or so. I load alot of .32 Auto with miniscule charges and so far the micro disk is the best measure I've tried although it is not perfect.

[gray wolf]

I use measure then trickled for accurate measuring. Have done 1000's with just measure.
Not going to get what you want any other way. You must have a good repeatable beam scale. Make a sample weight out of a piece of tin can or hard plastic.
One that will show a constant reading on your scale for the weight you want.
Use it to set up your scale. Drop the charges light and trickle them up.
You could be a Boeing Engineer and I doubt you will ever get a powder dropper to through consistent charges to a 20th of a grain, ain't gonna happen.
I think you will chase that Rabbit down many a hole.
I don't think you will get it even trickling, but you will be close.
Spend the money for an extended decimal digital scale, and they are very sensitive, You then will be chasing little decimal points.
Nothing is impossible, but sometimes practical wins out.

[Green Frog]

Thanks guys. It looks like I'll be digging out some brass stock and fabbing up a custom rotor for my Accu-measure or my Little Dandy with a somewhat broad, shallow powder chamber. I absolutely know that it is possible to efficiently produce 32 Target ammo without weighing each charge individually. I don't need Camp Perry accuracy, but I hope to get to at least good +. All for now, I'll let you guys know what I find.

Regards,
Froggie

[Mike Hughes]

with small charges in my Lee auto disc, the powder would occasionally bridge and not throw any powder (lots of stuck boolits in barrel) I recently purchased a Lee PPM and mounted it on my Load Master. It works surprisingly well, charges are usually within .1, I have been bulk loading 45 acp with 3.7 gr of clays, works great. I have noticed when the PPM sits for a few days, the first charge is a little heavy (powder settles in drop tube)

[Wayne Smith]

Froggie, I just measured 5 loads within less than .01 accuracy according to my Lyman 1010. They were all right on 1.2gr BE. I used my B&M (Belding & Mull) measure and a 45-70 case with a plate installed in it on a all thread piece. I tried my Pacific (similar in action to the B&M but with a much larger surface measure and built in funnel) but the surface of the measure was much too large for that small a load. 1.2BE did not completely cover the surface as light as I could go. Thats when I switched to the B&M with it's smaller surface measure.

I think you have a B&M don't you? I have three of the 45-70 measures, I'd be glad to send you one. A friend is making me a couple out of 45-120 cases for larger charges, so I'm in high clover with measures. You just have to make sure the measure hits the bottom of the B&M chamber or you will get high charges, it heaps up.

[John J]

Im also loading the 32 S&WL useing 1.2 of vv310 and a 98g wc on a Dillion 650 and this powder works great well worth the money

http://www.uniquetek.com/site/696296/product/T1267

hopes it helps

John J

[r1kk1]

Quick measure

r1kk1

[Walter Laich]

though not directly an answer, I use the powder measure in my SDB to throw 2.0 gr of Red Dot and it holds it very well.

I'm cowboy shooting so this works great for my needs

walt

[bbqncigars]

The last time I loaded .32acp, I used the small chamber on my Ohaus DuoMeasure. These days I think I'd go with the B&M if I thought the gun was accurate enough.